Retired lab physicist and computational pioneer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | National Nuclear Security Administration

President Obama has named Berni Alder, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory retired physicist, as a recipient of the National Medal of Science, the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on scientists, engineers, and inventors. The award will be presented at a White House ceremony in early October . Alder is widely regarded as the founder of molecular dynamics, a type of computer simulation used for studying the motions and interactions of atoms over time. His expertise includes changing kinetic molecular theory by showing that simulations can significantly affect a scientific field. In 1980, Alder was one of the pioneers who used large-scale simulations to solve quantum mechanics problems.

Learn more about this award .